Why buy? The impact of social media on young consumers’ perceived environmental responsibility
Author
Faculty Advisor
Date
2025
Keywords
consumerism, environmental responsibility, social media, grounded theory
Abstract (summary)
Environmental issues and consumerism are becoming critical to young people's lives and identities. This is a significant trend as they emerge as a vital segment in the consumer market. This seemingly contradictory connection can be better understood when considering social media's place in young people's lives. Social media is a powerful tool for consumers and companies, as it promotes products and perceptions. However, social media's role in shaping young people as shoppers is largely overlooked, especially in literature regarding sustainable shopping practices. Thus, this qualitative study used a grounded theory approach to investigate this topic through one focus group and 50 online survey responses. In it, many participants spoke about their struggle to balance a desire to make environmentally responsible choices with the pressures of social media, affordability, and lifestyle aspirations. They explained how these competing interests and obstacles create a complicated social landscape that young consumers must navigate. Thus, there was a call against the current system. Most respondents expressed heavy frustration about companies' roles in promoting overconsumption and continuing to overproduce, with little regard for the environment. This suggests that individuals feel negatively about environmental responsibility being cast onto consumers instead of corporations. However, participants still emphasize individual efforts to be environmentally conscious. Therefore, this study offers thoughtful and creative insights into how young people understand sustainability and their role in it. It also showcases young consumers' feelings and beliefs about how they can comfortably impact their environment, offering perspectives on healing relationships with companies and the environment.
Publication Information
DOI
Notes
Presented on April 17, 2025, at Student Research Day held at MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta.
Item Type
Student Article
Language
Rights
All Rights Reserved